Mmɛbusɛm 25
1 Yeinom yɛ Salomo mmɛbusɛm nkekaho a Yudahene Hesekia afotufoɔ twerɛeɛ:
THESE are also proverbs of Solomon, which the men of Hezekiah king of Judah copied out.
2 Ɛyɛ Onyankopɔn animuonyamhyɛ sɛ wɔde asɛm sie; sɛ wɔpɛɛpɛɛ asɛm mu nso hyɛ ahemfo animuonyam.
It is the glory of God to conceal a thing: but the honour of kings is to search out a matter.
3 Sɛdeɛ ɔsoro korɔn na asase mu dɔ no, saa ara na wɔrentumi nhwehwɛ ahemfo akoma mu.
The heaven for height, and the earth for depth, and the heart of kings is unsearchable.
4 Sɛ wɔyi dwetɛ ho a, dwetɛdwumfoɔ tumi de yɛ adeɛ a ɛho wɔ mfasoɔ;
Take away the dross from the silver, and there shall come forth a vessel for the finer.
5 Yi amumuyɛfoɔ firi ɔhene anim, na tenenee bɛma nʼahennwa atim.
Take away the wicked from before the king, and his throne shall be established in righteousness.
6 Mma wo ho so wɔ ɔhene anim, na mpere diberɛ wɔ atitire mu;
Put not forth thyself in the presence of the king, and stand not in the place of great men:
7 Ɛyɛ ma no sɛ ɔbɛka akyerɛ wo sɛ, “Bra soro ha,” sene sɛ ɔbɛbrɛ wo ase wɔ otitire bi anim. Deɛ wode wʼani ahunu no
For better it is that it be said unto thee, Come up hither; than that thou shouldest be put lower in the presence of the prince whom thine eyes have seen.
8 mpɛ ntɛm mfa nkɔ asɛnniiɛ, na sɛ awieeɛ no wo yɔnko gu wʼanim ase a ɛdeɛn na wobɛyɛ?
Go not forth hastily to strive, lest thou know not what to do in the end thereof, when thy neighbour hath put thee to shame.
9 Sɛ wo ne wo yɔnko di asɛm a nna obi foforɔ ahintasɛm adi,
Debate thy cause with thy neighbour himself; and discover not a secret to another:
10 anyɛ saa a, deɛ ɔbɛte no bɛgu wʼanim ase na edin bɔne a wobɛnya no rempepa da.
Lest he that heareth it put thee to shame, and thine infamy turn not away.
11 Asɛm a wɔka no sɛdeɛ ɛfata no te sɛ sika kɔkɔɔ a wɔabɔ sɛ aprɛ de atuatua dwetɛ nsiesieɛ mu.
A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in pictures of silver.
12 Sikakɔkɔɔ asomuadeɛ anaa sikakɔkɔɔ amapa ahyehyɛdeɛ te sɛ onyansafoɔ animka a ɔde ma deɛ ɔyɛ aso ma no.
As an earring of gold, and an ornament of fine gold, so is a wise reprover upon an obedient ear.
13 Sɛdeɛ sukyerɛmma ma ewiem dwoɔ wɔ otwa berɛ mu no saa ara na ɔsomafoɔ nokwafoɔ teɛ ma wɔn a wɔsoma no; na ɔma ne wuranom akomatɔyam.
As the cold of snow in the time of harvest, so is a faithful messenger to them that send him: for he refresheth the soul of his masters.
14 Omununkum ne mframa a ɛmfa osutɔ mma no te sɛ onipa a ɔde akyɛdeɛ a ɔmmfa mma hoahoa ne ho.
Whoso boasteth himself of a false gift is like clouds and wind without rain.
15 Ntoboaseɛ ma sodifoɔ ti da, na tɛkrɛmabereɛ tumi bu dompe mu.
By long forbearing is a prince persuaded, and a soft tongue breaketh the bone.
16 Sɛ wonya ɛwoɔ a, enni ntra so, ne bebrebe bɛma woafe.
Hast thou found honey? eat so much as is sufficient for thee, lest thou be filled therewith, and vomit it.
17 Ntaa nkɔ wo yɔnko fie, wo ho fono no a, ɔbɛtan wo.
Withdraw thy foot from thy neighbour’s house; lest he be weary of thee, and so hate thee.
18 Onipa a ɔdi adansekurumu tia ne yɔnko no te sɛ aporibaa, afena anaa bɛmma a ano yɛ nnam.
A man that beareth false witness against his neighbour is a maul, and a sword, and a sharp arrow.
19 Ɛse a ɛyare kaka anaa ɛnan a ɛyɛ apakye te sɛ deɛ wode wo ho to ɔtorofoɔ so hiada mu.
Confidence in an unfaithful man in time of trouble is like a broken tooth, and a foot out of joint.
20 Deɛ ɔto dwom kyere ɔwerɛhoni no te sɛ deɛ ɔpa ntoma gu awɔberɛ mu anaa te sɛ nsã nyinyanyinya a wɔhwie gu afransa soɔ.
As he that taketh away a garment in cold weather, and as vinegar upon nitre, so is he that singeth songs to an heavy heart.
21 Sɛ ɛkɔm de wo ɔtamfoɔ a, ma no aduane nni; sɛ osukɔm de no a, ma no nsuo nnom.
If thine enemy be hungry, give him bread to eat; and if he be thirsty, give him water to drink:
22 Sɛ woyɛ saa a, wobɛsoso gyasramma agu nʼatifi, na Awurade bɛma wo akatua.
For thou shalt heap coals of fire upon his head, and the Lord shall reward thee.
23 Sɛdeɛ atifi fam mframa de osutɔ ba no, saa ara na tɛkrɛma a ɛdi nsekuro de omuna ba.
The north wind driveth away rain: so doth an angry countenance a backbiting tongue.
24 Ɛyɛ sɛ wobɛtena suhyɛ ase mantweaa bi, sene sɛ wo ne ɔyere ntɔkwapɛfoɔ bɛtena efie.
It is better to dwell in the corner of the housetop, than with a brawling woman and in a wide house.
25 Nsuonwunu a ɔkra a ato baha nya no te sɛ asɛmmɔdɛ a ɛfiri akyirikyiri.
As cold waters to a thirsty soul, so is good news from a far country.
26 Asutire a ahono anaa abura a ayɛ pɔtɔɔ, te sɛ ɔteneneeni a ɔgyaa ne ho ma amumuyɛfoɔ.
A righteous man falling down before the wicked is as a troubled fountain, and a corrupt spring.
27 Ɛnyɛ sɛ wɔdi ɛwoɔ ntrasoɔ, na ɛnyɛ fɛ nso sɛ obi pɛ animuonyam ma ne ho.
It is not good to eat much honey: so for men to search their own glory is not glory.
28 Onipa a ɔnni ahohyɛsoɔ no te sɛ kuropɔn a nʼafasuo abubu agu fam.
He that hath no rule over his own spirit is like a city that is broken down, and without walls.
